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HCG jumps early. How the level of the hCG hormone decreases during early and late miscarriage. What is HCG

Chorionic gonadotropin is called the pregnancy hormone. Indeed, it begins to be produced after the conception of the child and is secreted until childbirth. By its content in the body, doctors can determine how the pregnancy is progressing, whether the fetus is developing normally. Normally, the level of hCG rises in the early stages of gestation. What to do if the content of the hormone decreases, but the pregnancy does not freeze?

The value of hCG during pregnancy

In the first weeks of gestation, chorionic gonadotropin begins to be produced in a woman's body. Its secretion by chorionic villi begins from the moment of implantation of the blastocyst into the endometrium of the uterus and continues throughout the entire period of gestation. In its structure, hCG is similar to other gonadotropic hormones produced by the pituitary gland - follicle-stimulating and luteinizing.


Functions of chorionic gonadotropin during pregnancy:

  • prolongs the functioning of the corpus luteum - a temporary gland, which, in the absence of conception, regresses 2 weeks after ovulation (in pregnant women it exists up to 10-12 weeks of gestation);
  • stimulates the secretion of progesterone and estrogens, due to which the level of these hormones becomes higher than before pregnancy;
  • increases the secretion of glucocorticoids by the adrenal cortex, which helps the female body to adapt to pregnancy;
  • participates in the suppression of immunity;
  • helps in the formation of the placenta.

The rate of indicators of the level of hCG in the early stages

In early pregnancy, hCG levels rise rapidly. Before conception, its content in the blood should not exceed 5 IU / ml. From the first week of pregnancy to the end of the first trimester, the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin increases by one and a half to two times every day. HCG reaches its maximum by 11 weeks, and then gradually begins to decrease and stays at the same level from 21 weeks until delivery.


The table shows the norms of hCG level indicators in the first trimester:

Why does the level of the hormone drop?

Normally, in the early stages of pregnancy, the content of chorionic gonadotropin in the body should only increase. Why does the concentration of hCG decrease, which means a decrease in the level of the hormone in the blood? Possible reasons for this phenomenon:

  • ectopic pregnancy - the attachment of the ovum did not occur in the uterine cavity, but in the fallopian tube, cervical canal or in the peritoneum;
  • the threat of miscarriage (if hCG has decreased by 50%, most often the cause is progesterone deficiency);
  • delayed development of the embryo;
  • death of the embryo and missed pregnancy.

If the chorionic gonadotropin drops after the transfer of embryos obtained by IVF, this indicates that the pregnancy was not preserved and the embryos did not take root. You can confirm or deny an unsuccessful transplant using an ultrasound scan.

A sharp decrease in the amount of the hormone in the blood is a reason to immediately undergo a medical examination. If the reason is in the ectopic implantation of the embryo, it will not be possible to save the child, the woman is shown an operation to remove the ovum. If there is a threat of miscarriage, then a course of hormonal therapy will be prescribed.

Can hCG levels decrease and then rise against the background of developing pregnancy?

Why does the hCG level first fall and then rise? The gap between the lower limit of the norm and the upper one is quite large. If the fluctuations of the hormone are insignificant, then its small decrease may still be within the standard indicators. In this situation, doctors monitor the woman's condition, suggest that she do the tests again in a week and prescribe an ultrasound scan. In addition, the discrepancy between the results of the analysis and the norm during developing pregnancy may indicate that the gestation period was determined incorrectly.


The situation when the chorionic gonadotropin at the beginning of pregnancy fell, and then grew again, happens after the IVF procedure. In the early days of gestation, the level of the hormone in the blood is increased due to the hormone therapy protocol, which includes taking hCG.

Chorionic gonadotropin production is influenced by other hormones, such as progesterone. If hCG has decreased, but then increased again, this may be due to fluctuations in progesterone. With a decrease in the hormone by more than 50% of the norm, therapy is prescribed with hormonal drugs such as Utrozhestan or Duphaston, which contain synthetic analogs of gestagens. Under the influence of drugs, the concentration of gonadotropic hormone gradually increases.

The probability of error and methods of checking the result of the analysis for hCG

The most reliable way to determine the content of hCG in the body is a laboratory blood test. At home, a woman can independently check whether she is pregnant or not using a pharmacy test. They respond to chorionic gonadotropin, but do not show the amount of the hormone.

Can a blood test be wrong and show an incorrect value? Errors happen for various reasons:

  • incorrect analysis;
  • improper storage of reagents;
  • non-compliance by the pregnant with the rules of preparation for the analysis;
  • taking medications that affect the content of the hormone;
  • tumor diseases of the genital organs, increasing the amount of hCG;
  • IVF pregnancy, in which the hormone is elevated in the first weeks due to the protocol for superovulation.


In order for the analysis to give the most accurate results, it must be taken on an empty stomach in the morning. A few days before donating blood, you must give up heavy, fatty foods, minimize physical activity, and do not drink alcohol. If a woman takes medications, she needs to notify the doctor about this during the sampling of the biomaterial.

If your blood test results are disappointing, don't despair. The probability of error is small, but it is still possible. It is recommended to retake blood in another laboratory in the near future, and only then draw conclusions about the results.

What is HCG

From the very birth of the human embryo, it already begins to fight for its existence. Only on the seventh day after fertilization, when it is attached to the wall of the uterus, the cells of its membranes begin to produce a special hormone that protects the baby from the aggressive action of the mother's body - this is the so-called human chorionic gonadotropin.

Chorionic - because the chorion is engaged in its production - a structure that will later become the placenta. Gonadotropin - because it acts on the mother's genitals (gonads), forcing them to rebuild in such a way as to support the newly born life.

HCG is several times stronger than its own maternal hormones acts on the ovaries and uterus. It causes the corpus luteum of the ovary to produce a lot of progesterone - a maternal hormone that supports pregnancy and adapts the uterus for the development of the embryo in it.

In addition, in a male embryo, hCG acts on the gonads, forcing them to develop in a male pattern. It also has an effect similar to corticosteroids - stress-resistance hormones. It helps the expectant mother to cope with the stress associated with pregnancy, and also weakens her immune system, preventing it from rejecting the developing embryo.

Why determine the level of hCG in the blood

There are at least two reasons for this:

  • analysis for hCG allows you to confirm or deny and
  • suspect deviations in its course.

A test for the presence of hCG in urine (quality) is used in pregnancy test strips. By analyzing the blood, it is possible to determine not only the presence, but also the exact value of hCG, which is more important and indicative.

A blood test for hCG allows you to diagnose pregnancy a few days earlier than the test strip "feels" it, that is, from about the 5th to 6th day after conception. In the future, according to the level of hCG and its growth rate, one can judge whether the pregnancy is developing normally, or there are deviations.

In the first weeks, its concentration doubles every one and a half to two days, and reaches a maximum at 10-11 weeks. Then the level of hCG in the blood begins to gradually decrease. This happens after the placenta begins to work independently and takes over the function of the hormonal center.

HCG is included, as a component, in a double and triple screening test, which is performed at 10-11 and 14-15 weeks and helps to identify possible deviations in the development of the child and hereditary abnormalities.

Norms of hCG in the blood depending on the duration of pregnancy

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Indicators
Norm (mU / ml)

men 0-90 years old
0–2,5

non-pregnant women 0–90 years
0–5,0

pregnancy

Week 1
16–156

2 weeks
101–4870

3 weeks
1110–31500

4 weeks
2560–82300

7-10 weeks

11-15 weeks
6140–103000

16-20 weeks
4720–80100

from 21 to 39 weeks
2700–78100

What does the decrease in hCG say?

A decrease in the level of hCG in comparison with the norm for a given period may indicate several things:

  • the term of pregnancy is incorrectly set. An error of one to two weeks in the early stages will give a change in the level of hCG several times;
  • pregnancy has stopped developing ();
  • ectopic pregnancy
  • threat of spontaneous;
  • delay in fetal development;
  • post-term pregnancy;
  • dysfunction of the placenta;
  • in the second and third trimesters, a decrease in hCG levels may indicate fetal death.

In most cases, a diagnosis of hCG alone is not made, at least another hCG analysis must be carried out.

Increased hCG levels

Normally, the level of hCG in the blood increases by about 2 times every 2 days in the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. That is, for each term, the content rate is different.

In addition, with multiple pregnancies, the level of hCG is even more increased, and as many times as the number of fetuses simultaneously develops in the uterus. This increase is completely normal.

An abnormal increase is spoken of if it does not meet the deadline. This can be in several situations:

  • the term of pregnancy is incorrectly set;
  • the use of synthetic hormones during pregnancy;
  • some diseases of the mother: diabetes mellitus, late toxicosis;
  • multiple malformations and hereditary diseases of the fetus.

HCG for ectopic pregnancy

With an ectopic pregnancy, hCG grows more slowly than with a normal one, this is one of its main criteria. The rule "twice in two days" is not met. For an accurate diagnosis, the test must be done at least twice.

In some cases, with an ectopic pregnancy, hCG may generally turn out to be negative.

HCG for miscarriage

A decrease in the level of hCG in the blood is one of the main criteria for a threatening, or already occurred. Unlike an ectopic pregnancy, when hCG grows poorly from the very beginning, with a threatening miscarriage for the first time, the indicators are normal. But as the death of the embryo and the cells of its membranes that produce hCG occurs, the level of the hormone begins to fall. At the same time, its fall is constant and not less than half of the norm for a given period.

HCG after abortion

After any abortion, it is necessary to conduct a control analysis of hCG. In the event that its growth is suddenly discovered, this will mean that the embryo still survived. Also, sometimes after a low-quality mini abortion or another of its types, parts of the embryonic membranes secreting hCG may remain in the uterus, while the embryo itself is already dead. In this case, curettage of the uterus will be required.

After the onset of the main symptoms of gestation: delay in subsequent menstruation, performed a test with two strips - the risk of an unfavorable ending is 20%. Miscarriage proceeds according to two scenarios: pregnancy becomes non-developing or spontaneous miscarriage occurs. A large proportion of cases of unfavorable outcomes occur in the first trimester of gestation, therefore it is so important to use diagnostic options that are most effective just in the early stages of gestation. One of these methods is the analysis of urine, blood for hCG. The pharmacy test is based on a qualitative analysis of the presence of chorionic gonadotropin in the urine, its β-subunit - that is, it indicates whether a woman is pregnant or not. The most significant will be the quantitative determination of this hormone in the blood: a decrease in its level indicates a spontaneous miscarriage, a non-developing or ectopic pregnancy.

About the analysis itself

There is a specific pregnancy hormone, which is an important indicator of the development and deviations of gestation, we are talking about human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG, hCG). It is produced by the chorion of the embryo (one of the membranes) and shows whether a woman is pregnant or not.

The corpus luteum of progesterone outside of gestation functions for about 2 weeks and resolves - this happens with each menstrual cycle. In pregnant women, due to the secretion of high amounts of CG by the placenta of the embryo, the corpus luteum does not undergo reverse development and is actively functioning for 10-12 weeks. This time is needed until the placenta is finally formed and becomes capable of synthesizing the most important hormones for maintaining pregnancy: progesterone, estrogen. This is the mechanism for maintaining the normal course of pregnancy in its initial stages.

HCG synthesis begins from the first days of gestation. After conception, already on the 6-8th day, it is possible to detect pregnancy using this hormone. Moreover, the concentration in the blood 1-2 days earlier than in the urine reaches a level that is significant for diagnostics.

An early ultrasound scan in order to prove whether a woman is pregnant or not may be uninformative due to the fact that at the initial stages of gestation, the embryo may not yet be visualized.

A classic pregnancy test with two strips shows only the very fact of the presence of the latter in the body, but does not express how it develops. But the concentration of hCG in the blood, especially in dynamics, reflects the nature of the course of pregnancy, multiple pregnancy, the presence of possible complications.

For the quantitative determination of hCG, it is necessary to donate blood from a vein in the morning and on an empty stomach. It is recommended to take blood no earlier than after 5 days of delay in menstruation, repeat it preferably after 3 days for a reliable result, to assess the nature of the course of pregnancy.

Growth patterns

The increase in hCG begins from the first days of pregnancy. The hormone grows most actively in the first trimester, since at this time its main task is performed: maintaining the normal functional activity of the corpus luteum until the completion of placenta formation (up to 16 weeks). The maximum concentration is observed at 8-10 weeks (up to 300,000 mU / l).

In the second trimester, there is a decrease in the hormone in the blood (up to 4000 mU / l). This indicates that the placenta is involved in the maintenance and optimal development and course of pregnancy, and it is she who becomes the source of the main hormones.

In the third trimester, an increase is again noted, but not as active as in the first weeks of gestation (up to 90,000 mU / l).

HCG drops rapidly in case of abortion, missed pregnancy. Since hCG has a half-life of 20-36 hours, its level in the blood remains elevated for a long time after the rejection of the ovum. In this regard, it is better to determine CG in dynamics in combination with ultrasound examination.

Indicators in norm and in case of deviations

In case of impaired gestation in the early stages, there is a high risk of bleeding, both in spontaneous abortion and in non-developing pregnancy. So, there is a risk that the afterbirth tissue will remain in the uterine cavity, and this may lead to the development of infectious-inflammatory and oncological diseases. Therefore, it is so important to identify this pathology in the early stages, and the main diagnostic methods will be dynamic control of hCG and ultrasound examination of organs located in the small pelvis.

The growth of hCG in the 1st trimester has a certain pattern:

  • the first 2 weeks, the hormone level doubles after 2 days, until the indicator reaches 1200 mU / l;
  • 2-4 weeks - doubles after 3-4 days to the level of 6,000-10,000 mU / l;
  • in a period of more than 4 weeks and with an indicator above 10,000 mU / l, doubling occurs in more than 4 days.

The weekly norm of the hormone indicator may vary depending on the center where the analysis was performed, but their appearance is approximately as follows:

If the woman is not pregnant, the indicator is 0-5 mU / l. This result will be seen in healthy men.

A pregnancy test is never false positive. If there are two strips or the concentration in the blood of the hormone is more than 5 mU / L, then the woman is currently pregnant or was pregnant. False negative results - the absence of hCG during pregnancy - can be observed in the following cases:

  • taking the test too early;
  • incorrect execution;
  • ectopic pregnancy.

High hCG in women occurs when the timing is incorrect or is a symptom:

  • chromosomal abnormalities of the embryo;
  • the presence of diabetes mellitus;
  • the existence of gestosis;
  • taking synthetic gestagens;
  • multiple pregnancy, especially after IVF.

Decreased hCG occurs in women with incorrect determination of the gestational age or may be a sign of:

  • death of the embryo, fetus;
  • overburdening;
  • prolonged placental insufficiency;
  • threatening spontaneous miscarriage (reduction of hCG by more than 50%);
  • intrauterine growth retardation;
  • ectopic pregnancy;
  • frozen pregnancy.

In the absence of pregnancy in women, in healthy men, positive hCG is determined when:

  • testicular tumors in men;
  • cystic drift;
  • neoplasms of the uterus, kidneys and lungs;
  • oncological diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • chorionic carcinoma.

Non-developing pregnancy and miscarriage

Table 1. The value of hCG in miscarriage in comparison with the norm:

With a concentration of hCG above 1500 mU / l, in 90% of cases of normal gestation, a transvaginal ultrasound will confirm the presence of elements of pregnancy in the uterus. With the optimal course of the gestation period, hCG with an indicator of less than 1200 mU / l increases twice after 2 days, at a level of up to 6000 mU / l it doubles every 4 days. With an ectopic or undeveloped pregnancy, such a pattern is not observed. Measurement of hCG once, regardless of the indicator, does not differentiate uterine pregnancy from ectopic (viable or non-viable embryo), and therefore, to determine the choice of treatment, the concentration of this hormone in a dynamic mode is needed in order to avoid the risk of terminating a normal pregnancy in the uterus.

The level of hCG in ectopic pregnancy is quite different, often does not reach 1000 mU / l, which can also occur in the case of miscarriage. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy, it is necessary to perform a transvaginal ultrasound.

The death of the embryo may not result in spontaneous abortion. The fertilized egg can linger in the uterine cavity due to dystrophic processes that start in the elements of pregnancy, and a violation of the motor activity of the myometrium. In this case, they speak of a frozen pregnancy, when the programmed emptying of the uterine cavity does not occur.

The most acceptable methods of emptying the uterine cavity in non-developing pregnancies and with incomplete spontaneous abortion - up to 6 weeks of gestation, the drug method, up to 12 weeks - vacuum aspiration. Next, you need to make sure that there are no elements of pregnancy left in the uterine cavity. This will help ultrasound, the dynamics of hCG. Control ultrasound is performed no earlier than 10-14 days after cleansing the uterine cavity and removing the ovum. If the examination is carried out earlier, this can lead to unreasonable scraping of the walls of the uterine cavity. In the absence of the possibility of an ultrasound examination, a test is made for the β-subunit of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood and the woman is asked about the nature of the discharge from the genital tract. The question of the appointment of antimicrobial drugs in order to protect the uterine cavity from inflammation is decided individually, taking into account the high risk of infectious complications, which is associated with the presence of necrotizing tissues of the ovum in the uterine wall.

Determination of hCG in the blood is not only the main informative sign of spontaneous interruption, but also an indicator of how effectively the uterine cavity has been freed from the elements of pregnancy.

It must be remembered that a single case of miscarriage is not a sentence for a woman, and the likelihood of having a healthy child remains high. Repeated cases of spontaneous abortion - 2 or more are the reason for the diagnosis of recurrent miscarriage and a wide range of examinations.

Low levels of the hCG hormone during pregnancy should not always be a cause for concern. Especially when it comes to the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. But its lack in the first 3 months of pregnancy can signal serious complications of the gestational period.

In order to accurately determine the reasons why such an anomaly can be observed, it is necessary to know when hCG decreases during pregnancy under the influence of physiological, and when - under the influence of pathological factors.

When does hCG decrease occur?

When does hCG decrease in the absence of pathological abnormalities?

Normally, the concentration of the hormone begins to rise from the first day of conception. HCG is produced by chorion - the shell of the embryo, which protects it from negative factors. The growth of indicators of the hormonal element occurs daily, and every day they double, triple, and then ten or more times.

From what week does hCG decrease normally? A gradual decline in the level of this element begins from the 12th week of pregnancy. This is an absolutely normal physiological process that should not alarm either the woman herself or the gynecologist leading the pregnancy.

The decrease in hormone indicators occurs as gradually as its increase. Therefore, if you, as a responsible expectant mother, are interested in the question of how long hCG begins to decrease, then this process takes place from the 12th week of pregnancy.

But sometimes it happens differently: the gestation period is less than 12 weeks, and the concentration of the hormone, after a short and insignificant increase, began to rapidly decline. In this case, we can talk about the pathological reasons for this deviation. If hCG has dropped to critical levels, the patient needs immediate medical attention. Otherwise, either it will not be possible to maintain the pregnancy, or the child will be born with serious developmental disabilities.

Lack of hCG during gestation: what is it caused, and what could be the consequences?

Why can there be low hCG levels during pregnancy? In the first trimester, such a deviation is often considered pathological, and requires the mandatory identification of the causes and their elimination. But the expectant mother should not panic right away: if the violation was detected in a timely manner, it can be cured.

So, what could be the reason for the decrease in hCG indicators during pregnancy? Let's consider the most likely factors.

  1. Risk of miscarriage. Very low hCG in this case is often caused by hormonal disorders that have occurred in the body of the expectant mother. Under such circumstances, there is only one way out - the patient must be immediately hospitalized, and urgent treatment must be started to maintain the pregnancy.
  2. Ectopic pregnancy (EMP). If the hCG is low and the test is positive, this is often due to an ectopic pregnancy. In this situation, the lack of the hormone protein is caused by the fact that the embryo is not in the cavity of the genital organ, but outside it (more often in the fallopian tube). This condition is extremely dangerous, therefore it requires urgent surgical intervention.
  3. Application of ovulation triggers. A decrease in hCG against the background of the introduction of triggers is not dangerous. The test for this hormone has its own specifics, therefore, after the manipulation of the introduction of hCG, it is necessary to wait 14 days, after which only donate blood.
  4. Freezing of the fetus. Pathologically low hCG during pregnancy in the second trimester may indicate fetal freezing. The situation can be corrected if the deviation was detected in the shortest possible time. But, frankly, doctors have too little time for this, moreover, it is far from always possible to save the life of an unborn child.
  5. A prolonged pregnancy is the cause of low hCG at 9 months. In such a situation, obstetricians-gynecologists usually resort to artificial induction of labor.
  6. If progesterone is high and hCG is low, this may signal serious deviations in the development of the unborn child. Also, such an imbalance in hormones is observed against the background of placental pathologies, so it should not be left unattended.

Placental insufficiency, delay in the process of intrauterine development of the fetus, regression of gestation, fraught with fading or complete death of the unborn child - all these dangerous deviations can explain the low level of hCG during pregnancy.

HCG after IVF

If, after in vitro fertilization, the hCG level is below normal, this means that the procedure was unsuccessful. And it also happens that even after such a manipulation, the embryo is attached not in the uterus, but in its appendages. This is the same BMP, in which not only an insignificant secretion of the hormone protein occurs, but also conditions that threaten the woman's health are created.

Could the result be unreliable?

Low hCG during pregnancy does not always turn out to be a harbinger of a threat of miscarriage, or a sign of the development of genetically determined pathologies in an unborn child. Sometimes the analysis itself can be performed without adhering to a certain technology, so the data will turn out to be unreliable. In addition, often many young mothers - knowingly or unknowingly - violate the rules for preparing for the test, which, of course, also affects the final results.

What to do when the level of hCG, according to research, begins to decline ahead of schedule? Do not panic, but go with a form, where the hormone values ​​are recorded, to your gynecologist. Patients in the first trimester who have had such results, as a rule, have to donate blood for analysis again. And often the results they get are completely different, indicating that everything is in order with the fetus and with the mother herself.

Note. Perhaps the most harmless reason for the lowered hCG test rate during pregnancy is its incorrectly established period. This problem is easily solved with the help of an ultrasound scan and re-analysis for this hormone.

Treatment and prognosis

Low hCG in some cases may require special therapy. Treatment tactics are selected only after the reasons for the deviation that have occurred have been identified.

So, in case of a threat of miscarriage, a woman should go to the hospital for “conservation”. Pharmacotherapy in this case is the only way out. Without it, the embryo will simply die.

Alas, if doctors have reason to believe that low hCG levels are associated with chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, it will be impossible to correct this situation. However, sometimes errors also occur, so the analysis can be carried out 2-3 times in a row. In addition, studies for other hormones play an important role.

If the results of the hCG test remain the same, and pathological abnormalities are noted in other analyzes, the threat of developing genetic abnormalities will be confirmed. To have an abortion or maintain a pregnancy - the choice will remain with the woman herself.

When an intrauterine pregnancy is diagnosed, the patient is immediately hospitalized. There is only one therapeutic tactic in this situation, and it consists in carrying out an emergency surgical intervention. If the embryo is not removed in time, it can cause serious consequences for a woman, up to and including death.

Is it realistic to keep the pregnancy?

Is pregnancy and its successful completion possible with low hCG? Although it is generally accepted that an increased protein-hormone is more common, nevertheless, its underestimated values ​​are also far from uncommon. And so, for women, the question arises: is it possible to bear a child with such a hormonal disorder?

If it is a consequence of reversible (albeit pathological) processes, then yes. Today there are a large number of medications containing chorionic gonadotropin in their composition. These are pills and injections, but they are prescribed only by a doctor, and are used under his close supervision. As a rule, a pregnant woman should be in a hospital during the entire course of therapy.

HCG is an amazing and even unique hormonal element. It is called the "pregnancy hormone", and for good reason, because it appears in a woman's blood, as a rule, after conception has occurred.

The analysis for this substance in the first trimester of pregnancy is of great importance. With its help, you can timely notice deviations, if any, and immediately proceed to therapeutic measures in order to eliminate them.

Therefore, the expectant mother should not refuse to donate blood for research on hCG. Of course, the doctor has no right to force a woman to undergo this manipulation, but if she cares about her future baby and wants him to be born healthy, she should not refuse any tests prescribed by a gynecologist. And especially - from the hCG test.

A non-developing pregnancy means the death of the fetus. One of the main methods for diagnosing it is a blood test to determine the level of chorionic gonadotropin in it. Read about what the dynamics of changes in the level of hCG should be during the normal development of pregnancy, which may be a confirmation of a frozen pregnancy, read in this article.

HCG is a hormone that is produced by the shell of the embryo (chorion), which is formed in the uterus as a result of the embryo's introduction into it. Its full name is human chorionic gonadotropin. It is the presence of this hormone in the blood and urine that testifies to the fact of pregnancy already two weeks after the fertilization of the egg, when it is still impossible to prove this by ultrasound.

The principle of operation of popular tests for detecting pregnancy is based on the presence of chorionic gonadotropin in the urine.

HCG rate during pregnancy

The hCG level rises in a certain proportion until the 18th week, after which it begins to decline. In the second half of gestation, the amount of gonadotropin remains unchanged. There is a table of the norms of its average indicators in IU / ml, indicating the normal development of the fetus:

  • 1-5 weeks - doubling the level of hCG for every two to three days (up to 1200);
  • 5-13 weeks - every three to four days (up to 6000);
  • 13-18 weeks - every four days.

What does the violation of the hCG level say?

Violation of the level of hCG in the blood may indicate any disruptions in the pregnancy process. One of the saddest pathologies is a frozen pregnancy, which ultimately leads to the death of the fetus. Since this phenomenon most often occurs before 14 weeks (1st trimester), the cessation of growth or even a decrease in the level of hCG, non-compliance with the table of its norms during the normal course of gestation may indicate a frozen pregnancy.

But the indicators of one analysis are not yet a verdict on the presence of pathology. Diagnosis of undeveloped pregnancy is carried out in a comprehensive manner. It includes the following activities:

  • examination by a gynecologist,
  • ultrasound procedure,
  • re-analysis for hCG.

In order to correctly assess the dynamics of hCG growth or its absence, if a frozen pregnancy is suspected, a second test is submitted 48 hours after the first.

The dynamics of hCG in a frozen pregnancy

If pregnancy is already a reliably established fact, there are several significant reasons for prescribing an analysis of hCG, including:

  • discharge of a bloody nature from the vagina in the first trimester of gestation,
  • complaints of pulling pain in the lower abdomen,
  • abrupt cessation of toxicosis.

How quickly hCG drops

If there are suspicions of pathology, the gonadotropin analysis is given several times. In the presence of a frozen pregnancy, the level of hCG decreases, since the embryo that produces it does not develop. How sharp the drop in hCG will be during a frozen pregnancy in the early stages is influenced by the individual characteristics of the body of each individual woman.

Can HCG Grow

In some cases, with a frozen pregnancy, the decrease in the level of hCG is so slow that negative dynamics can be determined only after tests taken several times in a row. Moreover, there have been cases of even a slight increase in the level of hCG during a frozen pregnancy.

But in fairness, it should be emphasized that with a frozen pregnancy, hCG grows so slightly that any specialist will immediately determine its sharp difference from normal indicators at a given gestation period. But the above cases are extremely rare. Usually, with a frozen pregnancy, the hCG level drops rapidly, which is confirmed by the results of the tests done.

In order for the hCG indicator to be objective, you should always use the services of one laboratory when passing tests, even if there is no reason to suspect a frozen pregnancy.

Regrettably, it is impossible to reanimate a frozen pregnancy. In any case, it should be interrupted. How this is done depends on each specific case. The so-called wait and see tactics are most often used.